New Delhi: Dr Subramanian Swamy, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate, is likely to contest from Mumbai’s North-East constituency.
An academician, politician and economist rolled into one, he is founder of the Janata Party and had remained its president from 1990. Ahead of the general elections, his party has merged with the BJP and the move is being seen as beneficial for the latter, as Swamy holds the reputation of being extremely blunt and forthright in his views.
Even as BJP leaders are trying to win power and playing it safe by raising the development plank rather than any controversial subject, the onus of talking about certain issues has been left to Swamy, known for his firebrand kind of politics.
He speaks to Gulf News in an exclusive interview.
GULF NEWS: Are you backing the ‘Narendra Modi for Prime Minister’ line and was he the reason behind your uniting with the BJP?
SUBRAMANIAN SWAMY: Yes, I support Modi for PM completely and thoroughly from day one - unconditional and unalloyed. I have known Modi for a long time and he has been a friend, but he is not the reason for my joining the BJP. The Janata Party was formed in the aftermath of Emergency imposed upon the country during 1975-77 by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and the merger is just a return into the BJP fold.
If Modi becomes the PM, will there be a possibility of building the Ram temple in Ayodhya?
Certainly yes! The minority community may have a grievance that the mob had taken the law in their hands and demolished the Babri Masjid in 1992. But if we now give them an alternate site to build the mosque, they should have no objections. In fact, even the mutawalli (supervisor) of the mosque, who still lives in Ayodhya, is quite keen to have the mosque constructed in another place.
You have just joined the party and claiming building of the temple. But none of the BJP leaders are raising the issue this time on?
May be they are being diplomatic. I am sure, if you force them to spell out their stand, they will admit that they want the Ram temple built. But (for now) they have more pressing issues that are high priority. Though being an economist, even I feel development is priority, I also think the party leaders want someone to speak up on the temple issue. They know the way I articulate it, others don’t. So, I have taken it upon myself to keep up the fervour.
So, would you say this time it’s a ‘gentler’ and not ‘hardliner’ BJP on offer?
I think, the bulk of the party is now focusing on ‘governance’. That’s because we have a tremendous record in states like Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Goa, which means a lot to people. So, while they are concentrating mainly on the issue of governance, I am focusing on it as well as my pet subject — the Ram temple.
How do you rate the chances of BJP in the forthcoming elections?
We will surely win.
Despite the Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid Syed Ahmed Bukhari claiming he will ensure that the minority community does not vote for the BJP in Uttar Pradesh?
He is a spent force and known to make tall claims. But I can assure that a large proportion of the minority community will vote for us.
Is it a fact that the BJP is not as worried about the Congress Party this time, as it is of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)?
AAP is a hype created by the media. Frankly, AAP has fizzled out. They are on a suicide mission and we will assist them for a speedier suicide!
